Osmium alloy



Patented Mar. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE. if

ERIN ST HAAGN, OF HANAU-dN-THE-MAIN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRM C.

HERAEUS G. M. B. 11., OF HANAU-ON-THE-MAIN, GERMANY, A SOCIETY OF GER- MANY.

OSMIUM ALLOY.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EnNs'r HAAoN, a German subject, and resident of Hanan-nthe-Main, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Osmium Alloys (for which I filed an application in Germany June 21, 1919), of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to metallurgy, and has particular reference to metallic alloys having the properties of extreme hardness, capacity of being united with other metals and non-corrodability, such, forinstance, as has been especially adapted for the tips of gold pens.

It isWell known thativriting pen nibs made of gold are too soft for continuous service and therefore have been provided with iridium, in the form of an osmium iridium natural alloy which also contains a percentage of platinum. This natural alloy can be readily unlted by hard soldering methods to gold, and by reason of its superior hardness prevents a pen point from untimely wear and deterioration.

However the natural osmium-iridium alloy lacks uniformity, and further, because of the differing grain structure of the material, a small part only of the rather scanty production can be utilized.

Attempts have been made to substitute for the natural product artificial, alloys prepared by melting the two metals, osmium and iridium together, but such alloys are found to be invariably softer than the natural al by and of questionable use in the points of ens. p It has been developed that the degree of hardness of such artificial alloys depends very materially upon the the proportion or percentage of the osmium, and it has been further found that in alloys containing a high percentage of osmium, the iridium content may be omitted and another metal of the platinum group substituted, such for instance, as platinum, palladium, rhodium or ruthenium.

Alloys containing at least'or more than seventy per cent osmium have proven to be speciallysatisfactory, such alloys when subjected to tests for hardness showing great Application filed March 29, 1921. Serial No. 456,757.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1921, 41 STAT. L, 1313.)

superiority over the natural osmium-iridium alloy, estimated by grinding tests to be ten times harder. Y

To the contrary, alloys containing such a high percentage of osmium are less useful for the purpose mentioned for the reason An alloy containing eighty-five per cent osmium, ten per cent platlnum and five per cent rhodium, ruthenium or palladium has been found particularly satisfactory.

It is to be understood that the'utilization I of the invention is not confined to the production of gold pen points, but is broadly applicable to all similar purposes where a very hard alloy is required, which is absolutely resistive to all chemical influences, such for instance as the points of fine instruments, subject to wear andcorrosion, and which it is desirable to maintain inefficient working condition and of good appearance.

While the elements mentioned and the proportions given produce satisfactory results,

the importance of the invention is such as to warrant the widest latitude within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

Having thusdescribed my inventionand set forth the manner of its construction and application, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An alloy non-fibrous and of greater hardness than the natural'osmium iridium alloy occurring in platinum ore, said alloy.

being composed of osmium and of two other metals of the platinum group, with the osmium present in a much greater proportion than in the aforesaid natural osm1um iridium alloy and the remainder consisting of the two other metals of the platinum group in substantial amounts but one of said 'being composed of osmium and of platinum and rhodlum with the osmium present 1n a greater proportion than in the natural.

osmium iridium alloy and the remainder consisting of platinum and rhodium in substantial, amounts but the platinum in a predominating quantity.

3. An alloy non-fibrous and of greater hardness than the natural osmium iridium alloy occurring in platinum ore, with the osmium constituting at least seventy per cent of the'whole, and the remainder consisting .of platinum and rhodium, each being present in substantial amounts, but the platinum in a predominating quantity.

4. An alloy for gold pen tips, containing eighty-five per cent osmium, ten per cent platinum and five per cent rhodium.

5. An alloy non-fibrous and of greater hardness than the natural osmium iridium alloy occurring in platinum ore, said -alloy being composed of osmium and of two other metals of the platinum group, one of said metals being palladium or platinum and the other rhodium or ruthenium, with the osmium present in a greater proportion than in the aforesaid natural osmium iridium'alloy and the remainder consisting of the two other metals of the platinum group in substantial amounts, but platinum or palladium in a predominating quantity.

6. An alloy non-fibrous and of greater hardness thanthe natural'osmium iridium alloy occurring in platinum ore, said alloy being composed of osmium and of two other metals of the platinum group, one of said metals being palladium or platinum and the other rhodium or ruthenium, with the osmium present in a greater proportion than iuthe aforesaid natural osmium iridium alloy and the remainder consisting of the two other metals of the platinum group insubstantialamounts, but rhodium or ruthenium in a predominating quantity.

7; An alloy of the class described, nonfibrous and of extreme hardness, said alloy being composed of osmium predominately and lesser amounts of any two other metals of the platinum group.

8. An alloy of the class described characterized by extreme hardness and uniform ity'of grain, said alloy being composed predominately of osmium and lesser portions of other metals selectively of the platinum group, said group consisting of platinum,

iridium, palladium, rhodium, and ruth enium.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ERNST HAAGN. 

